Improvement in fruit-driers



J. B. OKEY.

Frlt Dryer.

188108289. Patented 008. 11,1870.

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Letters Patent No. 108,289, dated October 11, 1870.

IMPROVEMENT IN FRUIT-DRIERS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

I, JOSEPH B.' OKEY, of Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented certain Improvements in Fruit-Driers,of which the following is a description.

Nature and Objects of the Invention.

This invention is constructed upon scientiiio princlples, t. e., with a base-chamber, for collecting and raref'ying atmospheric air, (when the device isplaccd ou the top of a cook-stovc, or anything equivalent thereto,) and thence causing this .rareiied or heated air to ascend through all the departments containing fruit that is to be dried, compelling it to pass over the entire surface ofsaid fruit, in eccentric course, until 4it emerges from the top of the machine, laden with moisture obtained while in contact with the This drier .belongs to the supplemental class, and,V while small and of little cost, it yet has a wonderful capaclty for drying fruits of every description.

Description of the Accompanying Drawing. lfigure 'l is a perspective view of my fruit-drier;

Figure 2 is a vertical view ot' the cover or top -of my invention, the lid being inverted in this view;

Figure 3 is the base of the drier, isolated''om-the 'balance of the machine;

lower edge of the rst fruit-tray, B, tigs. 4 and 5.

l It must likewise be provided with a narrow slot, U, in ach'of its long sides, as shown in tigt 3, with'a slidc-cover, D, iig. 1, for eachslot.

By the use ot' these slide-covers the draught of air is regulated through the drier, from bottom to top.

When this base-section A is joined to the other parts of thc drier, it serves as a rarefying-chamber, t'or heating the atmospheric air, which is thence forced upward in aozigzag direction, and iu contact with all the fruit in the machine.

The sections B are so constructed as to admit of 1 their indefinite duplication, permitting the use of asmany in one machine as desired, though six of these sectional trays make' a veryrpraotical drier.

The lower edge of each tray receives the upper edge of the one it sits upon, a recess being made for this purpose.

By reference to figs. 4 and 5, it will be seen that a large throat, O, is left iu one end of every fruit-tray B, a broad slatA forming one side of this throat, and the end of the tray forming the other.

The slats t i form the door of these trays, for hold ing up the fruit. v

They canl be made of any suitable material-wood, for example-aud should be very thin, and about tluce-cighths of an inch in width. They must be so close together' that the trays will hold the smallest fruits that are dried.

When tilling these trays B with fruit, care mustA rbe taken that the throat O is left open, and-when filled, the first one is placed upon 4the sheet-iron hase A. The-- next one is placed on it, the next one ou that, and so on, until alll the filled tr. ys are in position, when the top T is placed upon th last one.

In placing these trays upon each other, you must be particular to alternate the throat, 0,-euds, placing ing the throat rst at one end and t-hen at theY other, ou up to the last one.

When in position, there shouldbe aboutV a halt'V inch space between the top surface of the fruit in one of these trays B and the'bottom of the slats i of the next tray above it, and so it should be iu all the trays.

Then, with the openings O alternated, as directed above, 4a tine is formed for' the passage of hot air from the base A, in a zigzag course, and in a broad sheet or current over the fruit in every tray, until its` escape at one of the ventilators V inthe top.

Although the two sectional trays, shown in tig. 5, are separated from' each other, yet they approximate their working position near enough to convey a correct idea of the current of hot air, in observing the course and direction ,of the arrows in every instance.

The arrow in the partially-opened. exit-valve V, in g. 1,'shows the hot airvas escaping from the fun nel-ventilator, the sliding door or cut-ott` being slightly open.

Two of these ventilators V are placed. at the top, though but one is really needed. They may be made ot' any width, the whole width of the drier being hetter than any narrower.

The small ventilator S is only used when a very light draught ot air is needed, as when the fruit is almostsuiiiciently dried.

I'no not claim, broadly, the passage of lmtair oveiand under each fruit-tray; brit I elainlll. The formation of a Ventilating throat, within the tray itself, as shown, and the multiplication of these indefinitely, at alternate ends, as and for the purposes shown.

2. The combination and arrangement of a venti- 

